


What Even Is Happiness

by MisconductandMimosas



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending or at least happy ficlet notes, M/M, Moving On, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-11
Updated: 2016-06-11
Packaged: 2018-07-14 08:29:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7162460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MisconductandMimosas/pseuds/MisconductandMimosas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kent leaves EpiKegster, or at least, he gets out the door</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Even Is Happiness

**Author's Note:**

> Part of the 34 Days Challenge, Week 3: The Samwell Years

Kent had his rental car in sight when someone called his name from the porch. It wasn't a loud yell, not a screech or anything like he had heard in the frat house over the past two hours- _sorry, Haus_ , he corrected himself - but he was still able to hear the shout over the music that was pumping through the windows. "You leaving so soon? Lardo wanted a rematch."

'Tall, blond, and nice shoulders' was leaning against one of the poles on the porch.

"I don't think those are stable enough to lean on," Kent told him. "That porch looks a little rickety." All he got in return were raised eyebrows.

"Got a game in less than 24 hours. You know how it is. Curfew and stuff." Kent shrugged and offered the guy a nice smile- not quite of the media variety but close.

The blond matched his shrug and for a second, Kent wondered if he was being mocked. "If you're sure, man."

"Yeah..." Kent narrowed his eyes. "What's your name again?"

"You remembered my major but not my name?" The d-man joked. "It's Holster.

"No..." Kent looked at him so intently that Holster broke eye contact first. He knew him from somewhere. Not this party- not this school. "It was something else, right? Not Holster."

"Ah...yes. Birker," Holster said, a little embarrassed. He looked back at the open front door to the Haus but didn't make a move to go back inside. "In juniors though," he sighed and looked up at the sky. Anything to avoid looking at Kent, who was starting to remember everything.

Or at least, he remembered one of those shoulders coming at him on the ice when he was only sixteen? _Seventeen?_ "We...had an exhibition game against you, right? Inter-league. QMJHL and your-"

Holster's eyes were wide. "Jeez, you've got quite a memory."

"A gift and a curse." Kent rubbed his thumb over the unfamiliar rental key fob in his pocket. He had been so close to leaving.

"We were pretty excited to play against that Zimmermann-Parse line," Holster said idly.

Kent knew a joke when he heard one. Most of the time. "You also won that night," he pointed out exactly what he knew Holster wanted him to remember.

"That too." Holster smirked. He sat down on the Haus stoop and patted the step next to him. Kent didn't move but he thought about it.

"You're in...economics, right?" Kent changed the subject.

Holster's surprise felt good but his knowing smile was something else entirely. "Wasn't kidding about that memory, buddy. Jack has no memory about that game."

"He was having a pretty busy time back then," Kent told him instead of saying- _Jack refuses to remember anything from juniors. Jack tries to forget his time with me. I'm the only keeper of our time together because I wasn't good enough for him_.

Holster sighed. Kent knew he hadn't said anything out loud but he also knew that his media smile was off of his face completely.

"I'm not judging your break-up, mostly cause it seems like there wasn't even one but man, this isn't healthy for you. You gotta find yourself a nice boy and move on," Holster said quietly- so quietly that Kent had to take a step closer- back towards Holster, back towards the Haus, back towards Ja- to even hear him.

"You don't deserve it, is all I'm saying," Holster finished, practically talking to his shoes. He didn't look up. It gave Kent time to get watch those shoulders- how they were a little hunched and- speaking of hunches- Kent threw something out there.

"You don't deserve it either," Kent tried. Holster's face turned bright red.

"That's a different situation," he said quickly.

For a minute, Kent forgot that he was an NHL star- that he was in the closet- that he was recognized in nearly every North American city. "You haven't tried to find another boy or move on either," he kept going.

Holster finally looked up at Kent. His smile was as tight as his shoulders. "Hard to move on when you share a bunk bed with the guy," he said grimly.

"Holster," Kent started sympathetically, wanting to take back what he said, but Holster waved him off.

"I remember the two of you and I remember the rumors -" oh boy, Kent remembered those rumors too. Those rumors weren't wrong. And that was the kicker because it was usually Jack kissing Kent in cars after practice instead of wanting til they got back to one of their billets. It felt like Kent was being punished for Jack's- "and seeing what you were both like in person. I'm just saying- Jack has changed a lot. I don't...know if it's for the best. Sometimes he still seems - well-" Holster sighed. "His issues aren't yours, I mean. Not anymore. Not when he wont let you be. Am I right?"

Kent shrugged. "You're not wrong."

"And I'm just- You deserve to be happy, Kent Parson," Holster said sincerely. "I don't know if anyone has told you that but I thought I'd say it."

"Thanks Holster Birker," Kent joked, in lieu of not knowing what to say at all.

"It's Birker Holster, thanks," Holster sassed him. "Or just - Adam," he offered.

"Hi, Adam. I'm Kent." Holster rolled his eyes but took Kent's offered hand. Kent pulled him to his feet. "I think...it's a closure thing. I don't know if I want an explanation or- I just don't know. I do now that you're not wrong. It's just a matter of acting like it."

"Practical application is good for a hypothesis. Never going to know if it works otherwise," Holster told him, very business-like.

Kent snorted. "Thanks, college boy."

Someone called Holster's name from inside the house. Judging from the look on Holster's face, Kent didn't need more than one guess to know who it was. Kent related to that sad smile. Holster held out his hand and Kent shook it. "Have a safe drive back to your hotel, man."

"Yeah, thanks. And thanks."

**Author's Note:**

> And then Kent calls Holster at 6AM asking for boy advice:  
> "Is it weird to bring a guy flowers on a first date?"  
> "Kent? How did you get this number?"  
> "Not my fault you've had the same number since juniors. I asked one of your old teammates. Rick Poy says hey by the way. Hell of d-man."   
> "Hi Rick," Holster said sleepily. "Are you going on a date at 6AM or-"
> 
> \-----
> 
> "How did you get Kent's number?"  
> "More like how did Kent get my number," Holster snorted.  
> "Is he bugging you? I can tell him to-"  
> "Jeez, Jack, he's fine. We've got a mutual interest."   
> "What?"  
> "Oh not you, Jack." Holster rolled his eyes. "Definitely not."  
> "Good?"  
> "Sure, good talk, captain."
> 
> \-----
> 
> "Yikes, Kent just caused a wicked turnover," Ransom said without looking away from the television.  
> Holster turned another page in his textbook. "Good. That's what he gets for fucking up my Netflix "recommended" category. What even is the Deep Sea Horror Movie genre?"


End file.
